This Sunday, we celebrate the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, two important figures in the life of the early church who were very instrumental in building it and sustaining it. Due to their great suffering in the service of the Gospel, we have the Catholic Church which we are part of today. Both men confessed that Jesus is the Son of God. How did they come upon this revelation? In Peter’s case, not from flesh and blood but from the heavenly Father, who gave him the gift of faith nurtured by his having followed Jesus’ formation program for three years. In Paul’s case, the risen Jesus did not wait for him to change, but met him, in the midst of his rage and great character weakness, on the Road to Damascus. Jesus chose the most imperfect men on which to bestow His grace and glory. Jesus blessed Simon Bar-Jona and changed his name to Peter, which is Cephas in Aramaic, and Petros in Greek from the word which means “rock.” Jesus then promised that upon this rock, Peter, He would build His church against which “the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail” (Mt 16:18).
Chosen by Jesus for His purposes, primarily to proclaim the gospel, both men were transformed by His grace, since both were characterized by great human weakness. Transformation set them both on the road to fulfilling Jesus’ Great Commission, to make disciples of all nations, which became the mission of the early Church. Their discipleship, which called them to go beyond themselves and become obedient even unto a martyr’s death, was characterized by complete self-offering and self-emptying much like Jesus, who gave His life on the cross for the forgiveness of sins and the promise of everlasting life.
Peter and Paul were builders of the early Church, the Mystical Body of Christ. When they encountered “Yeshua,” they were radically changed. They came to know Him, loved Him, and proclaimed His name throughout all the earth. Jesus, the stone the builders rejected who became the cornerstone, built His church on the “rock” that is Peter. The church encompassed all the people of God, who together became a spiritual house and temple of the Holy Spirit in which all the members are joined together as “living stones” (1 Peter 2:5). If we confess that Jesus is our Messiah, personal Savior and Redeemer, the Son of God, our faith in Jesus Christ will transform us into living stones. As Catholics we are all called to witness to the Gospel, to be ambassadors of Christ like Sts. Peter and Paul. We need to be more active in the New Evangelization and be prepared “to re-propose our belief in Christ and his Gospel to those who are convinced that they already know the faith but are no longer interested.” (Cardinal Donald Wuerl) Through BLD we have to invite our Catholic brothers and sisters who are disinterested in the faith to hear the Gospel all over again, this time for the first time.
And this is what I propose we tell people: we tell them the great story of Jesus, and from our own lips, we tell them our answer to Jesus' question, “who do you say that I am?” Tell people who Jesus is to you: His great love, what He has done for you, what He’s sacrificed for you, what He’s given you. Many catechists say, when you know Jesus it’s hard not to be overjoyed. It’s also hard not to share all you know with others. You want to tell people about Jesus. You want to tell people about His church. You want to tell them about the teachings and the Holy Spirit and His graces and the saints and the sacraments and everything you have encountered that has changed who you are. Tell people what St. Paul told us: compete well; finish the race; keep the faith. “From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance.” (2 Tm 4:8)
Peter and Paul were builders of the early Church, the Mystical Body of Christ. When they encountered “Yeshua,” they were radically changed. They came to know Him, loved Him, and proclaimed His name throughout all the earth. Jesus, the stone the builders rejected who became the cornerstone, built His church on the “rock” that is Peter. The church encompassed all the people of God, who together became a spiritual house and temple of the Holy Spirit in which all the members are joined together as “living stones” (1 Peter 2:5). If we confess that Jesus is our Messiah, personal Savior and Redeemer, the Son of God, our faith in Jesus Christ will transform us into living stones. As Catholics we are all called to witness to the Gospel, to be ambassadors of Christ like Sts. Peter and Paul. We need to be more active in the New Evangelization and be prepared “to re-propose our belief in Christ and his Gospel to those who are convinced that they already know the faith but are no longer interested.” (Cardinal Donald Wuerl) Through BLD we have to invite our Catholic brothers and sisters who are disinterested in the faith to hear the Gospel all over again, this time for the first time.
And this is what I propose we tell people: we tell them the great story of Jesus, and from our own lips, we tell them our answer to Jesus' question, “who do you say that I am?” Tell people who Jesus is to you: His great love, what He has done for you, what He’s sacrificed for you, what He’s given you. Many catechists say, when you know Jesus it’s hard not to be overjoyed. It’s also hard not to share all you know with others. You want to tell people about Jesus. You want to tell people about His church. You want to tell them about the teachings and the Holy Spirit and His graces and the saints and the sacraments and everything you have encountered that has changed who you are. Tell people what St. Paul told us: compete well; finish the race; keep the faith. “From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance.” (2 Tm 4:8)